George W.F. McMechen High School Summary "Green Green"
George W.F. McMechen High School is a pubic day school located in Baltimore City. Students who attend range in age from fourteen to twenty-one. Eighty four students and sixty adult staff make up the green culture.
In the spring of 2012 a wheel chair accessible salad garden table were built by the students and staff in wood shop.
In the spring of 2013 the green culture was motivated to participate in its first Environmental Poster Contest. Students collected aluminum cans, plastics and paper. An exhibit of student work graced the lobby of the school. Other classes used recycled materials to create art displays. The rigor and engagement of that project facilitated the concept of reducing waste and keeping the environment clean.
In the fall of 2013 , fresh fruits, vegetables and salad are apart of lunch menu and fruit is served with breakfast to increase student exposure and nutritional awareness.
George W. F. McMechen school currently participates in Solid Waste Reduction where students recycle ink cartridges, pack them into boxes and send to the Funding Factory and the Baltimore City Recycle pick up arrives every Tuesday to collect cardboard boxes.
In the spring and summer of 2013, staff and students participated in vegetable container growing. Most veggies were grown on a porch or patio. This activity was a huge success. A lot of brown thumbs transformed into green thumbs.
On Earth Day staff and students have participated in several earth awareness activities that included: tree planting (Red Bud), energy reduction power down day and cleaning up the grounds around the school.
Presently, the monthly calender and newsletter are viewed via e-mail to reduce paper and conserve energy. The school is participating in the Baltimore Energy Challenge (BEC) and has held 3rd place for two months with energy usage reduced by 5% from the previous year. A professional development in-service was presented and the school was informed about energy conservation . Purple recyclable starter kit bags were distributed to sixty staff members. In addition to that, the staff was given the opportunity to get their house /apartment evaluated for energy usage. The majority of the staff signed up .
Students and staff have actively participated in numerous sustainability projects within the last four years. Everyone has learned valuable information about their environment and the importance of keeping it clean by reducing waste, growing what he or she eats, conserving energy, recycling plastics, aluminum and paper. The staff developed several different Insulation projects . One was re-purposing fabric to make hand and body warmers and the other was a draft stoppers. In horticulture, gently used flower pots were reused and embellished with beautiful annuals and returned to the owner.
Moving forward, the George W.F. Mc Mechen green culture clearly understands the importance sustaining the environment . As spring quickly approaches our green culture is scheduled to plant new trees, build wood chip pathways. rotate the soil where vegetables are planted and build a new raised flower bed before school ends for summer vacation. When school begins in late August , students will have vegetables ready for harvest.
The green culture has truly grown thus far and will continue flourish more as a Maryland Certified Green School .
In the spring of 2012 a wheel chair accessible salad garden table were built by the students and staff in wood shop.
In the spring of 2013 the green culture was motivated to participate in its first Environmental Poster Contest. Students collected aluminum cans, plastics and paper. An exhibit of student work graced the lobby of the school. Other classes used recycled materials to create art displays. The rigor and engagement of that project facilitated the concept of reducing waste and keeping the environment clean.
In the fall of 2013 , fresh fruits, vegetables and salad are apart of lunch menu and fruit is served with breakfast to increase student exposure and nutritional awareness.
George W. F. McMechen school currently participates in Solid Waste Reduction where students recycle ink cartridges, pack them into boxes and send to the Funding Factory and the Baltimore City Recycle pick up arrives every Tuesday to collect cardboard boxes.
In the spring and summer of 2013, staff and students participated in vegetable container growing. Most veggies were grown on a porch or patio. This activity was a huge success. A lot of brown thumbs transformed into green thumbs.
On Earth Day staff and students have participated in several earth awareness activities that included: tree planting (Red Bud), energy reduction power down day and cleaning up the grounds around the school.
Presently, the monthly calender and newsletter are viewed via e-mail to reduce paper and conserve energy. The school is participating in the Baltimore Energy Challenge (BEC) and has held 3rd place for two months with energy usage reduced by 5% from the previous year. A professional development in-service was presented and the school was informed about energy conservation . Purple recyclable starter kit bags were distributed to sixty staff members. In addition to that, the staff was given the opportunity to get their house /apartment evaluated for energy usage. The majority of the staff signed up .
Students and staff have actively participated in numerous sustainability projects within the last four years. Everyone has learned valuable information about their environment and the importance of keeping it clean by reducing waste, growing what he or she eats, conserving energy, recycling plastics, aluminum and paper. The staff developed several different Insulation projects . One was re-purposing fabric to make hand and body warmers and the other was a draft stoppers. In horticulture, gently used flower pots were reused and embellished with beautiful annuals and returned to the owner.
Moving forward, the George W.F. Mc Mechen green culture clearly understands the importance sustaining the environment . As spring quickly approaches our green culture is scheduled to plant new trees, build wood chip pathways. rotate the soil where vegetables are planted and build a new raised flower bed before school ends for summer vacation. When school begins in late August , students will have vegetables ready for harvest.
The green culture has truly grown thus far and will continue flourish more as a Maryland Certified Green School .